This invention relates generally to flashlight and more particularly to a flashlight of novel construction especially useful by firefighters and other safety personnel working in hazardous environments.
There are many known flashlights of various designs, sizes, and configurations, but few of those are specially designed for use in hazardous environments. None of those adequately satisfies the requirements for flashlights operating as firefighting equipment. For example, a light used by firefighters must be durable and impact resistant, and must survive drops of up to about thirty feet. It must be temperature resistant and waterproof. It must produce a high intensity light output to cut through smoke, fog, and dust. The light needs to be constructed in a way that it meets UL safety requirements in the United States and Canada and Cenelec requirements in foreign markets. In spite of these severe operating requirements, the light must still be portable and lightweight and easily attachable to the protective clothing or firefighting equipment worn by the firefighter so that the light does not impose any excessive weight on the firefighter and the firefighter has both hands free for other purposes. Because the firefighter often wishes to hold a light in his hand, the light must have a comfortable grip which does not cause the hand or arm of the firefighter to tire.
The hazardous environment in which a firefighter""s light is to be used demands that the light have an adequate power source for lighting the bulb over an extended period of time so that the firefighter is not deprived of a source of light while in a smoke filled, burning building. To enhance the usefulness of the flashlight, it should be operable with either rechargeable batteries, which can be quickly recharged, or non-rechargeable batteries both of which should be quickly and easily replaceable within the battery housing. In addition, the non-rechargeable batteries, when in the battery housing, should be completely isolated from the recharging circuit so that the non rechargeable batteries are not destroyed if the flashlight is inadvertently placed onto a charger unit with the non-rechargeable batteries therein. Otherwise, the non-rechargeable batteries may explode, not only causing damage to the flashlight but also possibly injuring the firefighter himself.
While the specialized flashlight must satisfy all these requirements for operation under very severe and hazardous conditions, to be accepted commercially the light must still be manufactured and assembled in a way which minimizes cost.
The firefighters flashlight of the invention described hereinbelow was developed with those requirements in mind.
Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a novel flashlight particularly adapted for use in severe hazardous conditions, such as use by a firefighter, and capable of satisfying the requirements noted above.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel firefighter""s light which is portable, lightweight, small in size, durable and operable with a rechargeable battery pack or non-rechargeable batteries, both of which are quickly and easily replaced within the battery compartment.
Still another object of the invention is to provide the above novel flashlight in which the non-rechargeable batteries, when in the battery compartment, are isolated from the recharging circuit and can not be destroyed if the flashlight is inadvertently placed into a charging unit. The rechargeable battery pack and the non-rechargeable batteries fit securely and snugly in the battery housing, but are quickly and easily replaceable when necessary. The rechargeable battery pack has contacts on one side thereof which engage against the charging contacts extending through a recessed portion of the rear wall of the battery housing for recharging the battery pack when necessary. When non-rechargeable batteries are placed within the battery housing, they do not engage the recharging contacts but rather make electrical connection through a conductive pad mounted on the bottom cap of the battery housing. In this way, the non-rechargeable batteries are isolated from the recharging contacts.
Another object of the invention resides in the provision of the above novel flashlight in which the bulb containing head compartment is at right angles to the battery compartment and in which the electrical components connecting the batteries to the bulb are all quickly and easily assembled through push fits without requiring any separate wires and soldering connections. This greatly reduces the assembly time and therefor reduces cost.
A further object of the invention resides in the provision of the above flashlight in which all the various components of the flashlight are secured snugly in place to ensure proper and continued operation of the flashlight under the abusive handling in severe and dangerous conditions experienced by a firefighter.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the detailed description of the invention which follows, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.